Battle of Edington

Battle of Edington
	Part of the Viking invasions of England
	; Memorial to the Battle of Ethandun erected in 2000 near the hillfort of Bratton Castle with a plaque.
Date	May 878
Location	Probably Edington, Wiltshire, see § Location of the battle.51°15′50″N 02°08′34″W / 51.26389°N 2.14278°W
Result	Saxon victory Treaty of Wedmore;
Belligerents
Wessex	Great Heathen Army
Commanders and leaders
Alfred the Great	Guthrum
Strength
2,000–6,000	~4,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown, presumed heavy
	Edington Battle of Edington (England)

The Battle of Edington or Battle of Ethandun was fought in May 878 between the West Saxon army of King Alfred the Great and the Great Heathen Army led by the Danish warlord Guthrum. The battle took place near Edington in Wiltshire, where Alfred secured a decisive victory that halted the Viking advance into Wessex.

The engagement followed a period of sustained Danish incursions into Anglo-Saxon territory. In early 878, Guthrum launched a surprise attack on Chippenham, forcing Alfred into hiding in the marshes of Athelney. After rallying local forces, Alfred confronted and defeated Guthrum at Edington, then laid siege to the Viking position, compelling their surrender.

Following the battle, Guthrum agreed to terms that included his baptism, withdrawal to East Anglia, and the establishment of peace through the Treaty of Wedmore. The outcome preserved Wessex as an independent kingdom and marked a turning point in the Viking wars, laying foundations for the eventual unification of England.